'The Gates' in Central Park: Orange by Any Other Name

But is it art? What a dumb question. It is one thing to ask if it is an orange. That we can handle because most of humanity has come to an agreement on what constitutes an orange, whether a navel or Valencia, from Florida, California or South Africa. Not so art. It is, as they say, in the eye of the beholder. But not everyone buys into that, either.

As for Christo and Jeanne-Clark's ambitious "The Gates" going on through this weekend in New York's Central Park, we can all agree it's orange, as in the color orange, that is (or, technically, saffron). But as for considering it art, well, you're on your own.

As for me, I'd say, "Why not?" Especially if at least one role of art is to uplift and inspire. Even more if it is to evoke a desired human emotion and impact behavior.

That's what Christo and Jeanne-Clark said they wanted to accomplish with their 23-mile maze of bright orange free-hanging fabric pathway-overhang panels that run the length of all the major walkways through Central Park.

Last Saturday, when I was there, the park was crawling with people, including many families with youngsters, willing and eager to try out the experience. They were having a blast. It was very peaceful and reverent. People stood and looked, walked slowly or stopped to have someone hold their camera while they bunched together for a photo under one of the 7,500 separate "gates."

Each gate stands 16 feet high and ranges in width from 5 ft. 6 in. to 18 feet according to the 25 different widths of walkways in the park. They are spaced at 12 foot intervals except where low branches extend over the walkways. The five inch-square vertical and horizontal poles carry a total of 1,067,300 square feet of fabric and 46 miles of hems. With its poles, each of the gates weighs 613 to 837 pounds. It took 600 workers to install the exhibit.

In their austere yet stately sameness, The Gates transform the park into a combination of muted renaissance festival and giant Southern California orange grove full of trees laden with ripe citrus.

It is festive. It makes people happy. Given its magnitude in terms of sheer size, it is awesome. People have been coming from everywhere. There was not a vacant hotel room to find in Manhattan last Saturday night.

It is like an application of soothing balm on the sores inflicted upon New York by 9/11 and its aftermath. What else could bring so many people out of doors to stroll through Central Park on such a cold winter day? What else could generate such a universal sentiment of peace and good will among all who came?

It's one of those things where you say, "Pictures can't do it justice. You had to have been there." And it grows on you more after you've been there and left. You've got one last chance this weekend if you want to check it for yourself. They start tearing it down Monday, Feb. 28, only 17 days after its opening.